Anticreeper for railway-rails.



W. S. WESTON.

ANTICREEPER FOR RAILWAY RAILS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 20. I916.

Patented Feb. 26, 1918.

Z W nww /m 1 {Ewe tre ear WILLIAM S. WESTON, OF HOUSTON HEIGHTS, TEXAS.

ANTICREEPER FOR RAILWAY-RAILS.

1 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM S. Wns'roN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Houston Heights, county of Harris, and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Anticreepers for Railway-Rails, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. a

My invention relates to anti-creepers for railway rails of the type having a friction lever grip upon the rail and more particularly, to improvements on the anti-creeper set forth in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,120,258, granted to me December 8, 1914.

and comprising a resilient V-shapcd rail an chor adapted to be sprung into place upon the. rail base having a longitudinal member and an inclined transverse member, adapted to extend beneath the rail with the V-shaped anchor having rail engaging seats at its apex and at the end of said longitudinal member being arranged to engage one base flange and the seat at the end of the transverse member being arranged to engage the opposite base flange.

The object of my present invention is an improvement in the location and construction of the tie abutting portion giving increased strength and serviceability to the anti-creeper, and incidentally providing a newand better method for installing and retaining it in its operative position. The full construction of the improved device and the functions of its parts in the processes of its installation and operation are clearly set forth in the following description wherein reference is made to the illustrations in the accompanying drawings, which form a part of these specifications. The elements of novelty are particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a rail showing the anti-creeper in operative position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a rail showing the anti-creeper in position and bearing against a tie or abutment. Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are plan views with the rail in dotted outline showing the anti-creeper in intermediate positions when being installed. Fig. 6 is an e1evat1on similar to that of Fig. 1, but with the rail in dotted outline to show the contracted form Specification of Letters fatent. Pafhemflgfl [5 b, $6, jlgjifi,

Application filed October 20, 1916. Serial No. 126,660.

of the anti-creeper when free from the rail. The same numerals used as characters of designation indicate the same parts in the several views.

In the preferred form of the invention, and as illustrated, the anti-creeper is made from a round rod of spring steel worked into exact shape in a forging or bending machine. Referring to Figs. 3 and il where it is seen in plan View it is formed substantially V- shaped with one member 1, extending transversely beneath the rail and the second mem her, 2, extending longitudinally adjacent the edge of one of therail base flanges. The apeX 3, of the V is offset upward from the center of the transverse member so as to form a shallow shoulder seat, 4, adapted to fit the edge of a base flange, while the free end of the transverse member is bent upward at 5 to form a shoulder seat, 6 adapted 'to fit the edge of the opposite base flange.

The distance between-these seats 4- and 6 is somewhat greater than the width of the rail base so that when in operative position and bearing against the edges as shown in Fig. 3, the transverse member will lie at an angle with the rail slightly less than 90 degrees. The free end of the longitudinal member is made with suflicient length of stock to be bent and formed into a special shape adapted to several purposes. as will be described, one of which is to provide a third seat 7 fitted to the same base flange as the seat 4 at the apex. In forming the seat 7 the extra length of the member 2 is first bent into a loop or eye 8 located beneath theedge of the rail base flange and adapted to act as the tie abutting portion. Theextreme end of the stock is then bent upward past the edge of the rail base at 7 and over the top at 7".

The upper portion of the loop 8, marked 7 on the drawings and the parts 7 and 7 form the three sides of the seat 7. Seat 7 is a jaw seat in the sense that it is fitted to have a bearing on both the top and bottom as well as the edge of the flange, whereas the shoulder seats 4 and 6 in conjunction with the transverse member have effective bearings only on the bottom and edges of the flanges. All three of the seats 4, 6 and 7 form bearings on the rail that enter into the functional operation of the device as hereinafter described, while seat 7, as a jaw seat, has an additional important function to perform in holding the device in its operative position.

The anti-creeper is made to a form somewhat smaller than the rail base on which it is to be used and therefore as'stated, it must be sprung into place. As shown in Fig. 6 the contracted form is such that when the jaw seat 7 with its parts 7', 7 and 7 is in position for an exact fit on the rail flange the transverse member 1 will encroach 011 the space to be filled by the rail base while the end 5 and seat 6 will be nearer seat 7 than the width of the base would permit when seats 4 and 7 are incorrect line with the flange edge, as shown in Fig. 4. \Vhen finally brought into place on a rail, as shown in Fig. 1, the transverse member is still sprung down against the leverage of the upper and lower portions 7 and 7 of the jaw seat 7 while the seat 6 is sprung outward or away from seat 7' by springing open the angle between the two members of the V.

To place the improved anti-creeper on the rail it is first brought to the position shown in Fig. 4 by passing the transverse member under the rail and applying hammer blows adjacent the seats 7 and 4 as indicated by the arrows 9 and 10. In this position the upturned end 5 of the transverse member does not quite clear the edge of the opposite base flange. A suitable auxiliary tool may now be used to seize the transverse member and spring the end 5 to clear so the device may recover as much as possible of its shape with the seat 6 in its final position. An auxiliary tool is not necessary, however, or desirable. The actual diagonal distance between seats 6 and 7 in the manufactured and contracted form is greater than the width of the rail base and the end 5 and seat 6 can be made to clear by first forcin the apex 3 with seat 4 a slight distance un er the rail, as shown in Fig. 5, so as to brin seat 6 almost to a point opposite seat 7. his position can be obtained by hammer blows applied in an angular downward direction near seat 4 as indicated by the arrow 11. As soon as the end 5 clears the flange edge the device will recover part of its original shape and seat 6 will prevent it kicking back off the rail. Springing the apex 3 beneath the rail cramps the jaw seat 7 and gives an increased friction grip at that point. A sharp hammer blow now applied to the end 5 in a direction parallel to the rail as indicated by the arrow 12 will drive the seat 6 backward relative to seat 7 to the position shown in Fig. 3 causing the apex 3 to come clear of the rail and allowing a further recovery of the original shape to bring the seat 4 to its final position.

From the foregoing descri tion it will be apparent at once that in t e installation process some of the parts must be sprung beyond the limitsrequired by the exact outline of the rail base and that the necessary recovery for a tight fit, as in Fig. 1, is contingent on the resilient character of the shape. Seats 4 and 6 have a fixed connection through the straight transverse member 1 and do not have any relative spring movement. On the other hand the jaw seat 7 is connected to seats 4- and 6 and the member 1 through the medium of the loop 8 and the member 2, and consequently may have a large relative movement without permanent distortion. It will also be apparent that because of the recovery of form, or even a part of it, the device cannot of itself work loose and drop from the rail.

To prevent the end 5 and the seat 6 being driven downward by a carelessly applied hammer blow at 12, and also to insure seat 6 having a. full bearing on the flange edge in case of a permanent distortion from the manufactured form, the end 5 is preferably provided with a lip 13 which will slightly overhang the flange edge in the final position but will clear the edge in the intermediate position shown in Fig. 5. This lip is an element of convenience and surety for installing and maintaining the device in position, but its purpose is only auxiliary to the function of the jaw seat and is not essential to the operation.

The device may be removed from the rail by bringing it to the position of Fig. 5 by an angular downward blow applied to the apex 3, and then driven off by a downward blow on the end 5. Or it may be removed by a sharp blow delivered only on the end 5 sullicient to force the lip 13 over the edge of the flange.

In operation the anti-creeper is carried along by the rail moving in the direction indicated by the arrow 14, Fig. 2, and this movement is resisted by the reaction thrust of the tie, as indicated by the arrow 15, hearing against the loop 8. To begin with, the anti-creeper has a slight friction grip on the rail due to the tendency of the device to contract to its original manufactured form. Then because of this initial friction the reaction thrust sets up a double lever grip on the rail that is entirely independent of the spring forces in the form itself. The action is as follows: The reaction thrust tends to rotate the loop 8 and member 2 in a vertical plane and establishes a lever grip on one base flange with a downward bearing of part '7' of the jaw seat and an upward bearing of member 1 adjacent seat 4 acting as fulcrums. The moment of forces increases the friction grip at these points in accordance with the fundamental principle of the lever grip. Should this grip, acting in the vertical plane, fail to hold and the device should begin to slip then a second lever grip in a horizontal plane comes into action with seats 4 and 6 bearing against opposite flange edges acting as the fulcrums. Thus the lever grip in the horizontal plane insures the maintenance of the grip in the vertical plane and the pressure on the rail at the three seats is cumulative in proportion to the reaction thrust of the tie. The spring contracting forces within the device donot either increase or decrease the lever grips.

It is to be noted that while the construction of the seat 7 insures stability at other times yet the coincident bearing of its top and bottom portions 7 and 7 is not essential during operation, since the moment of forces in the vertical plane pulls downward on the part 7 and tends to eliminate the bearing between part 7 and the under side of the flange. The seat 7 in itself cannot then be considered as having a lever grip.

The important feature of my improved anti-creeper lies in the construction and location of the tie abutting portion. Its forma tion as an eye or loop of the original stock set transverse to the rail presents a broad surface for bearing Without cutting edges, while the novel construction whereby I in stall the device enables me to place the loop almost entirely beneath the rail. Referring to Figs. 1 and 6, the center of the loop, which is substantially the center line of the reaction thrust, is inside a vertical plane through. the rail base edge. Considering now the horizontal action only, the thrust on the loop 8 is transmitted through the memher 2 to the seat 4 and because its center is inside and under the rail edge there will be a transverse component of force tending to hold the loop beneath the rail. lfhe especial advantage in this is that there is no tendenc in operation to open the angle betweenithe two members of the V to a greater degree than was necessary to install the device, and

consequently the initial friction grip of the seat 6 and of all the seats will not be impaired.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the exact form of the parts, in the shape of the original material stock to be used. or in the method of manufacture without modifying the essential elements in my invention.

Having thus described my improved anticreeper, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. An anti-creeper for railway rails comprising a V-form adapted to be sprung open and applied to the rail and having three seats for hearing on the rail base flanges. said seats being located respectively adjacent the apex and the free ends of the V- form, and a tie abutting portion beneath the rail arranged to coiiperate with the tie to increase the grip of at least two of said bearing seats.

2. An anti-creeper for railway rails, com-.

thereby establish the friction grip of said bearingseats upon the rail base, and a tie abutting portion beneath the rail arranged to cooperate with the tie to increase the friction grip of all of said bearing seats.

3. A rail anchor of resilient V-form, comprising transverse and longitudinal members with the apex of the l-form at the rear end of said longitudinal member, and a tie abutting portion at the forward end of said longitudinal member arranged to extend beneath the rail base, said anchor having flange engaging seats adjacent its apex and adjacent the free ends of said members, one of said seats being adapted to hold the device in operative position by its close bearing fit upon the rail base flange.

4:. An anti-creeping device for railway rails comprising a contracted clamp adapted to be sprung open when brought into operative position on the rail base, having a tie abutting portion beneath the rail and a V the rail base flanges, said seats being located one each adjacent the apex and the free ends of said V form, the seat adjacent the said apex providing a shoulder bearing against the under side and edge only of one base flange and adapted to be brought to operative position from an intermediate position under the rail.

5. An anti-creeping device for railway rails comprising a contracted clamp adapted to be sprung open when brought into operative position on the rail base, having a tie abi'itting portion beneath the rail and a V form portion with three seats for gripping the rail base flanges, said seats being located one each adj accnt the apex and the free ends of said V form, the construction being such that in the process of installation the seat adjacent the said apex may be brought to its final bearing position on the base flange from an intermediate position under the rail, substantially as described.

6. An anti-creeping device for railway rails, comprising a tie abutting portion and a rail gripping portion, the rail gripping portion being made in the form of a contracted V-shaped clamp having three seats for effective bearing on the rail base flange and adapted to be sprung open and contract when brought into operative position to thereby establish a friction grip of said seats upon the rail base, the said tie abutting portion being located beneath the rail and arranged to cooperate with the tie to establish the double lever grip of said seats upon the rail base.

7. it resilient if-shaped rail anchor com prising transverse and longitudinal mem bers with the apex of the ll-form at the rear end of said longitudinal member and having flange engaging seats adjacent its apex and the free ends of said members, and a tie .form portion with three seats for gripping abutting portion at the forward end of said longitudinal member adapted to be located beneath the rail.

8. An anti-creeper for railway rails having a tie abutting portion beneath the rail base, three seats for effective bearing on the rail base flanges and a spring constructed form whereby it may be sprung into its operativeposition, the said spring form being such that the friction grip due to the resilient force established therein is increased by the normal functional operation of the device in resisting the creeping of the rail.

9. An anti-creeper for railway rails having a tie abutting portion beneath the rail base and three seats of bearing arranged to establish an eflective lever grip on the rail base-flanges in resisting the creeping of the rail, two of said seats being shoulder seats with bearings on the under side and edge of the opposite base flanges, and the third seat being a aw seat with initial bearings on the top, bottom and edge of one of said base flanges, the said jaw seat being connected to said shoulder seats through a spring construction whereby the latter seats are brought into and. maintained in operative position.

10. A resilient V-shaped rail anchor adapted to be sprung into place upon the rail base, comprising transverse and longitudinal members and having rail engaging seats adjacent its apex and the ends of said members, the seat at said apex being arranged to be brought into operative position from an intermediate position beneath the rail, the engagement of the two other seats with the rail base being arranged to force said transverse member away from said longitudinal member as said apex seat is brought into operative position.

11. A resilient V-shaped rail anchor comprising transverse and longitudinal members and having flange engaging seats adjacent its apex and the free ends of said members, the seat at the apeX of said rail anchor being a shoulder seat and the seat at the free end of said longitudinal member being a jaw arranged to embrace the base flange of the rail.

12. A resilient V-shaped rail anchor adapted to be sprung into place upon the rail base and comprising a longitudinal member and an inclined transverse member, said V-shapcd' rail anchor having flange engaging seats at its-apex and at the end of said inclined transverse member and a flange embracing jaw at the free end of said longitudinal'i'nember said seats and said jaw being arranged to be pressed vertically into engagement with the base flange of the rail by the resilient action of said longitudinal member.

13. A resilient V-shaped rail anchor adapted to be sprung into place upon the rail base and comprising a longitudinal member and an inclined transverse member, said V-shaped rail anchor having flange engaging seats at its apex and at the end of said inclined transverse member and a jaw arranged to embrace the rail base flange at the free end of said longitudinal member said jaw and said seats being arranged to be pressed in horizontal direction into engagement with the base flange of the rail by the resilient action of said inclined trans verse. member.

14. A resilient V-shaped rail anchor comprising a longitudinal member and a transvei se member, said transverse member having flange engaging seats at its opposite ends and said longitudinal member having at its free end a transversely disposed tieabutting loop or eye terminating in a flange embracing jaw.

WILLIAM S. WESTON. 

